Dies irae ~Amantes amentes~ 4:3 Support

This update concerns the 4:3 aspect ratio support promised for "Dies irae ~Amantes amentes~". There is a fair amount to explain, but we would like to address all necessary points with this update.

First, there will not be an update to the Steam version to add 4:3 support. The 4:3 supported version will be distributed by the same method as the R18 patch was. So as "Acta est Fabula" and "Amantes amentes" cannot share save data, the Steam version of "Amantes amentes" will not be able to share data with the 4:3 supported "Amantes amentes".

We apologize the game will be delivered in this fashion. It is unfortunate that we need to take these steps, but please allow us to explain.

The Steam version from the start was made on the premise that it would only support a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, "Dies irae ~Amantes amentes~ HD" released on September 29, 2017 was created with the aim to correspond to both resolutions from the start.

It may seem the only difference is whether the game has 4:3 support or not, but the programming for the two is completely different. The two are so different, they can be considered as almost separate games.

We are sorry this treatment is necessary, and ask for your understanding given the differing game specifications. Work is progressing so distribution can begin mid-February. We ask for your patience until then.

About the PS Vita Version

We deeply apologize for the update delay concerning the PS Vita. We are currently cooperating with related parties and are moving development forward. However, as of right now, we cannot confirm a date for 4:3 support.

Progress is being made, and we promise to put the Vita version in your hands. We kindly ask for your patience.

Superbacker

Disclaimer: I didn't manage to pledge much for the Kickstarter campaign itself (since I'm Brazillian and our currency is pretty devalued as of then and right now), but I did buy the game on Steam as soon as it came out.

I'm sorry Light, but you screwed up on this one. Badly. Back in the campaign comments you could see I was actually defending your practices on what I perceived to be mostly just the fandom fuming over things that didn't really matter or being over-entitled. Now I see myself as agreeing with the majority that this was just no handled properly.

It seems there's just some clear lack of communication between the Light company itself and whoever is doing the PR, because information has been released and rectified way too many times. I don't even want the 18+ version and find myself pissed by how you guys handled its release (promised a simple patch to then reveal it was actually a whole different version of the game, for example).

Then you said you were planning on releasing a 4:3 option for the Steam Amantes Amentes version so we could play it without cropped images and now you take it all back again? Why even mention it as a possibility if the programming between the HD version was so different in the first place? Why is it that you keep promising stuff only to then take it back? Is someone just selling things without asking Light or Regista or any other technical team if such promises are feasible?

Also, it's been a year and no typos were corrected, which I'd assume is not such an herculean task.

I'm still playing through the game (only managed to get back to it now) and generally having a blast with it, especially with what I'm considering to be a rather top-notch localization, but sheesh, I wanted to experience the game with it's original 4:3 images. Why couldn't the Steam version allow for that from the start? I'm assuming Light has all the original high-res 4:3 art at their disposal, right?

Anyway, it seems lack of communication between all the parties behind this campaign is at fault.

Superbacker

Ok, so let me get this straight. You made two all-ages Amantes in parallell. One for PC and one for PC through steam. The steam version you modded heavily to make routes DLCs, messing up the save system so it doesn't match 18+ version or HD version. Messing it up so you can't combine the way 18+ routes work and how the steam version work.

But now suddenly you think giving us the remake version will help you skip making a 4:3 patch for Steam? Well, why don't you just make an 18+ patch for the remake version and actually deliver what we all wanted from day 1?

No Steam bullshit making it "hard". Just a simple insertion of the 18+ content from one PC game to another PC game. And then we can play ONE game in the end, instead of THREE.

It's using the same engine as the original Amantes Amentes release, right? There's no differences in scenes like Acta est Fabula, so there's no reason they can't both point at the same save folder.

Also, it'd be pretty simple to have a launcher that points to whichever executable you want (16:9 or 4:3) and have that be the Steam target, if you wanted to bundle them all together rather than do another unofficial patch.

I still don't understand how doing yet another new development is preferential to porting the existing assets to the HD rerelease, but I'm not in charge.

If possible, please pass along these notes to the development team - I'm at least interested in the rationale for having separate save files. I'd also like to see an updated script, given that the localization team claimed they'd submitted fixes for the numerous typos. I haven't checked the last (really, only) Steam patch beyond verifying that it still didn't launch offline.

Superbacker

You actually believe them? That’s hilarious. “It can’t be done” is a load of bullshit, everything they promised us, can in fact be done, Light just doesn’t fucking care. I’d almost say this Kickstarter feels like a scam at this point. I was so excited to back this, and now I just want this to end. I’ve given up on ever seeing the physical copies before 2020, if ever

I've waited for 4:3 support before I start playing, so it won't bother me, but it's a shame it couldn't be compatible for the other people who have already started playing.
Well, you've explained why it couldn't work. There's not much that can be done.

Just to be sure, there won't be a requirement to finish a route or anything before being able to play the 4:3 patched version, right?